§ 2. On The Proximate Matter

1659. Scotus indeed and the Scotists contend that the whole essence of the Sacrament of Penance, namely matter and form, consists in the absolution of the priest alone; but that the acts of the penitent are only dispositions prerequired for obtaining the effect of the Sacrament. - But the other Theologians who lived after the Council of Trent commonly teach with St. Thomas that the acts of the penitent with the words of absolution are intrinsic parts of the Sacrament, and that they cooperate for the conferral of grace in Penance, just as washing cooperates in Baptism.⁶ Hence we say:

I. The three acts of the penitent, namely CONTRITION, CONFESSION, and SATISFACTION, are the proximate matter of the Sacrament of Penance. From Trent, sess. 14, cap. 3 and can. 4; from the Roman Catechism,⁷ and from the Ritual, which says absolutely: "The remote matter is sins, but the proximate matter is the acts of the penitent." They are called by the Council quasi-matter, "not because they do not have the notion of true matter," says the Roman Catechism, "but because they are not matter of that kind which is applied extrinsically, as water in Baptism and chrism in Confirmation." "In those Sacraments," says St. Thomas,⁸ "which have an effect corresponding to human acts, the human acts themselves are in place of matter, as occurs in Penance and in Matrimony." Nor is it an obstacle that contrition is not sensible of itself; for it is made sufficiently sensible through confession and other exterior signs of penance.⁹ Hence it can be said that the proximate matter of this Sacrament is properly sorrowful confession, since the Sacrament of Penance is intrinsically composed from it.

Let these other words of St. Thomas also be noted:¹⁰ "Every Sacrament," he says, "produces its effect not only by the power of the form, but also by the power of the matter; for from both there is one Sacrament. Hence, as the remission of fault in Baptism occurs not only by the power of the form, but also by the power of the matter, namely water, nevertheless more principally by the power of the form, from which the water itself also receives power; so also the remission of fault is an effect of penance, more principally indeed from the power of the keys, which the ministers have, on whose part is taken that which is formal in this Sacrament; but secondarily from the force of the acts of the penitent pertaining to the virtue of penance; yet insofar as these acts are ordered in some way to the keys of the Church."

1660. II. Contrition and confession are ESSENTIAL parts of the Sacrament, but satisfaction is only an INTEGRAL part. Thus commonly.¹¹ It is said, 1. Contrition and confession are ESSENTIAL parts, that is, so necessary that if one of them is lacking, the Sacrament cannot in any way stand; for without confession the information of the cause is impossible, and without contrition, in which the will of satisfying is necessarily included, reconciliation cannot be perfected.

It is said, 2. Satisfaction is an INTEGRAL part. By an integral part is understood that without which the Sacrament indeed exists essentially, but not altogether integrally; as he is essentially a man who lacks an arm or a leg, but nevertheless not whole and perfect. Hence sin can be remitted and reconciliation perfected before the satisfactory work imposed by the judge is fulfilled for obtaining remission of temporal punishment. - Yet this remission of punishment, insofar as it is obtained through satisfaction, is also an effect of the Sacrament, although secondary; and therefore it is required for the integrity of the Sacrament, or, as Trent says (loc. cit.), "for the full and perfect remission of sins."¹²